Ion micro pump

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for pumping a gas. The method includes the steps of ionizing the gas, separating the ionized gas into groups of positive and negative ions using positive and negative electric fields and separately pulling the groups of positive and negative ions along a channel using the negative and positive electric fields.

1. A method of pumping a gas comprising:
 ionizing the gas; 
 providing a channel having a plurality of spaced apart electrodes of a relatively constant length extending along the channel; 
 separating the ionized gas into groups of positive and negative ions using positive and negative electric fields applied to the plurality of electrodes along the length of a channel; and 
 separately urging the groups along the channel while maintaining electro-neutrality by transporting both the positive and negative groups using the negative and positive electric fields alternatively applied to the plurality of electrodes. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of pumping a gas as in  claim 1  further comprising disposing the plurality of electrodes along the channel transverse to a direction of travel of the groups of ions. 
   
   
     3. The method of pumping a gas as in  claim 2  further comprising advancing the positive and negative electric fields from electrode to electrode of the plurality of electrodes along the direction of travel within the channel. 
   
   
     4. The method of pumping a gas as in  claim 2  wherein the positive and negative electric fields further comprises a traveling quadrupole electric field that progresses along the direction of travel within the channel. 
   
   
     5. The method of pumping a gas as in  claim 4  wherein the traveling electric field further comprises an n-phase electric field that progresses along the channel. 
   
   
     6. The method of pumping a gas as in  claim 5  wherein the n-phase electric field further comprises an alternating field operating at a frequency of less than 20 kHz. 
   
   
     7. The method of pumping a gas as in  claim 1  wherein the step of ionizing the gas further comprises using a corona discharge electrode. 
   
   
     8. The method of pumping a gas as in  claim 1  wherein the channel further comprises a length of 1-10 cm. 
   
   
     9. The method of pumping a gas as in  claim 1  wherein the channel further comprises a diameter of 3-100 microns 
   
   
     10. The method of pumping a gas as in  claim 1  wherein the channel further comprises a voltage gradient along the channel of 10 kV/cm. 
   
   
     11. An apparatus for pumping a gas comprising:
 a channel; 
 an ionizer disposed at an entrance to the channel that ionizes the gas; 
 a plurality of electrodes disposed along the channel transverse to a direction of flow within the channel the electrodes having a relatively constant length along the direction of flow; and 
 a continuous positive and negative electric field along the length of the channel imposed on the plurality of electrodes that separates the ionized gas into groups of positive and negative ions and that separately pulls the groups of positive and negative ions along the channel using the negative and positive electric fields. 
 
   
   
     12. The apparatus for pumping a gas as in  claim 11  wherein the positive and negative electric fields further comprises a traveling quadrupole electric field that progresses along the direction of travel within the channel. 
   
   
     13. The apparatus for pumping a gas as in  claim 12  wherein the traveling electric field further comprises an n-phase electric field that progresses along the channel. 
   
   
     14. The apparatus for pumping a gas as in  claim 13  wherein the n-phase electric field further comprises an alternating field operating at a frequency of less than 20 kHz. 
   
   
     15. The apparatus for pumping a gas as in  claim 11  wherein the ionizer further comprises a corona discharge electrode. 
   
   
     16. The apparatus for pumping a gas as in  claim 11  wherein the channel further comprises a length of 1-10 cm. 
   
   
     17. The apparatus for pumping a gas as in  claim 11  wherein the channel further comprises a diameter of 3-100 microns. 
   
   
     18. The apparatus for pumping a gas as in  claim 11  wherein the channel further comprises a voltage gradient along the channel of 10 kV/cm. 
   
   
     19. The apparatus for pumping a gas as in  claim 11  wherein the electrodes disposed along the channel further comprise an electrode width and spacing of 1 to 20 microns. 
   
   
     20. An apparatus for pumping a gas comprising:
 a plurality of channels arranged in series; 
 an ionizer disposed at an entrance to each of the channels that ionizes that gas; 
 a plurality of electrodes disposed along each of the channels transverse to a direction of flow within the channel where the plurality of electrodes have a relatively constant length along the direction of flow; and 
 a continuous positive and negative electric field along the length of the channel imposed on the plurality of electrodes of each of the channels that separates the ionized gas into groups of positive and negative ions and that separately pulls the groups of positive and negative ions along the channels using the negative and positive electric fields. 
 
   
   
     21. The apparatus for pumping the gas as in  claim 19  further comprising a plurality of channels arranged in parallel.